The fountain of youth

The fountain of youth

23 Jul, 2017

An Island therapist creates her own multipurpose lotion for face and body

by JENNIFER VIKSE • Photos By Alex Barreto

According to Michelle Larson, a licensed massage therapist with a skincare practice on Staten Island, looking older is now optional. She has become known for her “natural face-lift,” achieved using all-natural products and microcurrent technology. Over a series of weekly visits, she said, such a treatment will revitalize the skin, from chest to forehead.

“It’s a way to take five years off the look of your face,” noted Larson, who said that monthly maintenance is key to retaining a youthful look.

How does it work? Basically, she explained, “the treatments trick the cells into behaving younger.” They recharge cellular “batteries” with massage and electricity, stimulating cells to produce collagen and elastin.

“When women look better, they feel better,” she said, noting that many of her clients are in their sixties, and feel the pressure to look younger.

With the natural face-lift, “This is you, but better; it works with you,” she said, noting that surgical implants or fillers can create an unnatural appearance. “Here you have control over the outcome.”

While this natural face-lift put the 42-year-old on the map, it’s not the only game-changing treatment she’s been a part of. A few years ago, Larson set out to create her own product, designed to hydrate skin and fight aging. “I started with a chemist,” she said. “Told him my goals: It had to be organic. It had to work for all types of skin. I have sensitive skin, so I needed to be able to use it myself.”

“I love it, I love it,” confessed Larson, who uses Allbetor daily. “It’s organic, oil-free, and conducts electricity, so it works with spa equipment”—suitable for both at-home and professional microcurrent machines and spa equipment, Larson explained. “It’s also safe for tattoos and great for shaving. It’s effective at normalizing skin on the face and body.”

Allbetor has been well received. “I’ve gotten so much positive feedback,” Larson said. “It is special to be able to create this.” (A 16-ounce bottle costs $35 on Amazon.)

With its many uses—anti-aging, hydration, after-sun treatment—what does Larson think is Allbetor’s most popular feature? “The anti-aging is the biggest draw,” she noted. The lotion’s also great for those who have lost lots of weight, she pointed out. “It’s phenomenal for weight loss—it helps the skin tighten up.”

Larson also uses other tricks to look younger, from hydration to training the facial muscles. “A light smile engages upper facial muscles, which engage lower muscles very gently,” she explained. “It releases endorphins…prevents frowning. Frowning is the biggest cause of those marionette lines along the mouth.”

Another tip—one she learned from her youthful-looking father and suitable only when not wearing makeup—is to tap water on hands from the sink. “I tap myself on the face all day, and it really refreshes you,” she said. “Tap water around the mouth…the creases. That’s hydration from the outside in.”

No matter the treatment, Larson wants to help women feel good. “I’m all about women looking like themselves, only better. It translates into better home life, better work life.”